Search continues for Conecuh man missing on Alabama River
A Flomaton man reported missing March 8 was found in good health and returned to his family, but Monroe County officials continue to search for Conecuh County man who was reported missing Sunday on the Alabama River.
According to Flomaton Police Chief Dane NeSmith, Wesley Allen was reported missing at 8:27 p.m. on March 8.
Witnesses reported Allen went walking in the woods about 6:15 p.m. and didn’t come back.
Chief NeSmith said police officers, along with Flomaton firemen, K-9 tracking dogs from the prison, drones from Atmore Capt. Joshua Morgan and Lt. Jessie Wilson, with the state deployed three tracking dogs.
NeSmith said Atmore Police Officer Chance Thompson also deployed a drone.
NeSmith said about 9:30 p.m. the K9’s located Wesley in the woods and brought him home. Wesley was checked out by emergency personnel and returned to his family.
“I thank everybody who helped make this happen,” Chief NeSmith said. “We may all have different departments, but we do come together when the need arises.”
River search
The search for a man who was reported missing in Conecuh County remained ongoing at press time yesterday (Wednesday) as searchers continued to comb the Alabama River for a third straight day.
According to Monroe County Sheriff Tom Boatwright, the Conecuh County Sheriff's Department contacted the Monroe County Sheriff's Department on Monday morning regarding reports of a missing man from their area. The man was identified as 40-year-old John Faulkner, a white male who lives in the Evergreen area.
Conecuh County investigators said that they'd “pinged” Faulkner's cellphone at a location near the Alabama River at Claiborne and requested that the Monroe County Sheriff's Department check the area. Monroe County deputies went to Claiborne and found Faulkner's abandoned Chevrolet Silverado truck near the river, Boatwright said. Deputies also found many of Faulkner's personal items inside the truck.
Deputies called Alabama Department of Corrections tracking dogs to the scene, and when they arrived, the dogs tracked Faulkner's scent straight to the river bank.
“His trailed ended right at the river,” Boatwright said.
The Monroe County Rescue Squad was called to the scene, and helicopters with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency were also called to assist in the search for Faulkner. The search for Faulkner continued on Monday and Tuesday and was ongoing as of yesterday morning, Boatwright said.
The Alabama River, south of the Claiborne Lock & Dam, has been over the 42-foot flood stage since Sunday and was at 45.96 feet as of yesterday morning at 8:45 a.m.
